


You Let Him Stab You In the Coat

by KahtyaSofia



Series: Captain's Blog - S2 [4]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: Sleeper, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-17
Updated: 2009-11-17
Packaged: 2017-10-03 05:49:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KahtyaSofia/pseuds/KahtyaSofia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reason Jack's shirt STILL isn't buttoned when Beth makes her final stand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Let Him Stab You In the Coat

**Author's Note:**

> The original version of this story was a little more touchy feely and humorous but after EP 3, I realized Ianto was doing some acting out and that he still hadn't let Jack all the way back in yet. The title comes from my initial reaction when Jack takes the Sleeper blade in the shoulder at the end. Jack is immortal but is his coat?

Jack had just finished having a heated exchange of words with Toshiko when he saw Ianto heading his direction, CB aerial in his hand. The look on Ianto's face gave Jack pause and he wondered at the wisdom of such a provocation. He'd faced down Daleks and Cybermen, and numerous other dangerous life forms, and yet it was one youthful Welshman that had him beating a hasty retreat.

He ducked back into his office and turned his back to the door, then realized that was not a sound tactical decision when in battle. Ianto had fired the first salvo, but Jack had returned fire, and the irresistible force was about to meet the immovable object. Jack's fingers were fumbling with the buttons of his shirt as he tried to fasten them, but his anxiety at the coming confrontation made it impossible.

"Jack!" Ianto hissed from the doorway.

"Ianto!" Jack replied, spinning around to face his nemesis. He smiled what he hoped was both an innocent, and a disarming smile.

Ianto stalked toward him with purpose and Jack had to stop himself from backing away. Ianto paused, just inches away and said, in a shaking voice, "Forget the time I'll have to spend getting the front end of the SUV repaired, since you saw fit to run down an alien with it."

"That was the fastest and most effective way to neutralize a very real threat." Jack defended himself and his tactics.

"Okay, I'll give you that. Forget that I'll have to spend hours cleaning the disconcertingly sticky duct-tape residue from the wing mirror."

"We had to be able to communicate. Do you want to contemplate what would have happened, if I hadn't found a way for us to exchange information?"

"Another point for you." Jack thought he detected a note of sarcasm. "I've just sat vigil beside you, waiting for you to return from the dead."

"For which I am truly grateful, Ianto."

"What makes it all difficult to deal with, is that you let yourself get stabbed in the coat."

Jack paused, trying to determine if Ianto was serious. He'd been ready for the outrage at the damage he'd inflicted on the SUV. "You're upset because I killed my coat?"

Ianto loudly tossed the aerial on to Jack's desk. "You will never understand how much I love that coat."

"And you accuse me of having strange fetishes."

"I don't know if I can successfully patch it, Jack."

Jack reached out to run his hands up and down Ianto's arms. "When you're done, it'll be good as new."

Ianto placed his hands on his hips and regarded Jack at length. "You're an inconsiderate man, Jack Harkness."

Jack dropped his hands away. "So it would seem," he said, remembering back to Gwen's comments about his bedroom manners. "I didn't take you for one to kiss and tell, Ianto."

"Well, you left, Jack. Didn't you? If some things came out about your habits over a pint with my teammates…I had no way of knowing you would come back to find out."

Jack crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Ianto with what he hoped was a neutral expression. "Sounds more like you were telling tales out of school."

Ianto frowned up at him. "Gwen was trying to lighten the mood, and reassure Beth, by taking a cheap shot at you. She was your 'good cop' for the day."

"You didn't have to back her up, you know." Jack found his pride was somewhat hurt.

"It was too good an opportunity to pass up." Ianto's smile faltered slightly. "Gwen has seemed unusually hostile toward you, even given recent circumstances. Is she punishing you for some transgression?"

Jack honestly didn't have an answer, so he could only shrug. "It could be a number of things with Gwen," Jack said enigmatically. "It's only ever one thing with you, though."

"You're still smarting because I told you your interrogation technique was lacking," Ianto said in a haughty tone.

"That was just cruel. I thought my 'bad cop' routine got you hot, and then, you tell me the feeling passed."

"I can't imagine you require my approval for anything, given your monumental self-confidence." Ianto's expression and tone were both mild, but Jack knew his intent was to draw blood. Metaphorically speaking.

"You don't think the exploding head jokes and mock electrocution took things too far?"

Ianto scoffed, "Not everything is about you, Jack. That was all for Gwen's benefit."

"Well, thank you for that. As if she's not difficult enough to deal with." Jack stared pensively into the distance, frowning slightly. "Then again there was every chance she was right, and I was forcing you all to torture an innocent woman."

"How do you mean, Jack?" Ianto's expression went from neutral to concerned.

"You were there. You saw how hard I pushed to prove Beth was more than she appeared to be. I ignored everyone's pleas for mercy."

"And saved the world. Again," Ianto replied.

"I unleashed the old Jack and could have been wrong."

"But you weren't."

"I could have been."

"But you weren't," Ianto insisted. "You know what you know, and you've seen what you've seen, and your ability to deal with it all effectively is what keeps this planet safe, time after time."

"Some day…" Jack didn't get a chance to finish.

"You can't dwell on 'some day', Jack. If ever you're unsure of your facts, you'll heed Gwen's concerns."

Jack regarded Ianto for a lengthy interval. "It would seem you're not frightened by me, Ianto." he smiled gently.

"I'm sure that if I become an alien, hell bent on destroying or conquering the earth, my view of you and your tactics will change dramatically. Until then, you'll just have to get the darker side of your ego stroked by Gwen."

Jack laughed, "I'd rather focus on getting you to stroke other things besides my ego."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Jack?"

"Hhmmm?"

"Did you thrash the SUV intentionally, just to spite me?"

"Would I do something like that?" Forestalling an answer Jack ran his hands up and down Ianto's arms.

They both reached for their weapons when they heard Beth yell, "I won't let you freeze me!"


End file.
